


Not letting you go

by Fireagate



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: F/M, It's really just fluff, Only One Bed, after the final battle scene, nightmare cuddles, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:47:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26009014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fireagate/pseuds/Fireagate
Summary: When they reached the inn, she finally let go of Sea Hawk so she could talk to the manager first. “Listen,” she hissed, then winced as she saw their frightened look. “Sorry. Sorry. But please, listen. When he asks you for rooms, tell him there’s only one left. And… makesureitonlyhasonebed.”In which Mermista doesn't want Sea Hawk to leave her side after the final battle.
Relationships: Mermista/Sea Hawk (She-Ra)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 57





	Not letting you go

**Author's Note:**

  * For [alysurr](https://archiveofourown.org/users/alysurr/gifts), [HearJessRoar](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HearJessRoar/gifts).



> I joked on Tumblr about all the fanfic writers writing “I had a nightmare and need cuddles” fics, so since I’m avoiding my real job and a little stuck on the plot for Miraculous Adventure (whyyyyy did I pick an AU that naturally involves fight scenes and plot exposition and inventing supervillains?) I thought I’d write my own version. Dedicated to HearJessRoar for writing the first nightmare fic I read, Alysurr for being such a wonderful cheerleader to the entire fandom, and everyone else writing Seamista fic. You’re all wonderful, lovely people (or if you’re not, don’t tell me and let me live in blissful ignorance).
> 
> Note: How long does it take to get places in Etheria? Who knows. It always seems pretty instantaneous unless they need a boat scene. Since it hurt my head to try and figure out transportation logistics, I have decided to go with canon and completely ignore the issue.

~~~

She felt like a cliché, but she was _not_ letting Sea Hawk go. It was easy to get caught up in the general euphoria sweeping the erstwhile battlefield, but the moment he started to pull away she panicked and grabbed his arm to keep him in place.

He was startled for just a brief moment, then patted her hand comfortingly and asked, “Do you want to go say ‘hi’ to Perfuma? She took it really hard when…” he trailed off, then smiled resolutely at her. “She’s missed you.” The smile turned soft, tender. “We all have.”

 _Stop looking at me like that_. But she couldn’t bring herself to say it out loud. _Play it cool_. “Yeah, sure.” She looked around. “Gang’s all here, huh?”

“Of course! No one would have missed this mission.”

 _The mission to defeat me,_ she mentally corrected. Assessing the damage, she was both afraid of what she’s done and amazed. _I always knew I was strong. Crappy way to learn I could be even stronger_.

As they joined the happy throng, she tried not to notice that Sea Hawk was careful to keep his hand in hers or an arm around her shoulders at all times. But she was grateful even as she pretended everything was fine and smiled and laughed with her friends. And if her hand occasionally strayed to her neck or her eyes suddenly surged with terror as she experienced a flashback, well, no one was going to say anything.

Afterwards, she realized she had no idea where they were going. She’d been informed that she’d been chipped for over two months, which she was not to worry about it except the way Perfuma said it made her worry _more_ and vow to check with Entrapta later, and obviously the Rebellion base would have moved during that time. _Is it still the Rebellion now that we’ve won?_

She yawned as the euphoria wore off and a bone-deep weariness set in. “Hey, Sea Hawk?”

“Yes, dearest?” Starting tomorrow, she was going to tell him to drop that endearment when they were in public. Tomorrow.

“So, like… where are we going to sleep?”

_Stop looking at me like that. I didn’t mean it like that. Stop. I can’t handle this right now._

“Good question! Er… we could go back to the camp, but it’s not the most comfortable quarters. I don’t have a boat to get us to Salineas, and Bright Moon is probably still full of Horde soldiers… Ah!” He snapped his fingers. “Erelandia!”

“Erelandia?”

“I know a few people there who will be happy to give us a bed- beds! Or would you rather stay with the others tonight?”

“Erelandia sounds good.”

“Wonderful! Let’s just tell Queen Glimmer and then we’ll be off!”

He was using an awful lot of “we” language. She would have to correct him about that. Tomorrow.

When they reached the inn, she finally let go of Sea Hawk so she could talk to the manager first.

“Listen,” she hissed, then winced as she saw the manager’s frightened look. “Sorry. Sorry. But please, listen. When he asks you for rooms, tell him there’s only one left. And… makesureitonlyhasonebed.”

The manager instantly softened. “So it’s like that then, dear?” she chuckled. “Would you believe it’s not the first time I’ve been asked that?” The manager turned her assessing gaze on Sea Hawk, who was animatedly recounting the battle to a mushroom man. “I assume you’re not trying to trick him into anything…?”

“What? No, it’s just… Never mind. It’s stupid. This was stupid.” _Stupidstupidstupid_.

“Call your young man over here. I’ll check how many rooms we have left after we talk.” She winked in friendly conspiracy.

“…Thanks.”

“I’m so sorry, Mermista! They only have one room left.”

“Whatever. I’m tired. Let’s just go to sleep.” It wasn’t a lie. She was incredibly tired now that they were so close to a bed.

“Of course! I just need to finish arranging a few things for the night. Do you want to go up first or wait for me?”

“I’ll wait. Make sure you don’t set the inn on fire or anything.”

She sat down on a nearby bench, idly looking around as Sea Hawk gave a mushroom man some cash and a flurry of instructions. This really was a nice inn. Cozy. Indisputably better than wherever the Rebellion had been holing up for the last two months. Sea Hawk had done good.

Mermista noticed she was rubbing the back of her neck again and made herself stop. She was just starting to feel a little panicky when Sea Hawk returned with a bulky bag and held out his hand to her. She grabbed it immediately.

“Everything is arranged! Toothbrushes are already in the room, the inn has lent us pajamas, and a change of clothes and breakfast will be waiting when we wake up! Now, shall I escort you up the stairs?”

“Yeah.” _That was worth more than a ‘yeah.’_ “Thanks, Sea Hawk. Clean clothes sound amazing.”

“Yes, I noticed the Horde used smell as a weapon,” he laughed.

_How was he so happy right now? So full of life? So… Sea Hawk?_

“Oh my.” He paused when they entered the room. “There seems to be only one bed. Err…”

“It’s fine. We can share.” Was her face blushing? It felt like she was blushing. Crap.

“Mermista! That is….” He looked at her, carefully considering, then gave her a hug. “Of course, dearest.”

“Whatever. I’m going to change and brush my teeth.” Honestly, she was tired enough to fall straight into bed, but being in the clean room she felt filthy. “And take a shower.”

“I’ll be right here if you need anything.”

“Thanks.”

Feeling clean on the outside if not the inside, Mermista stepped out of the bathroom ready to finally, _finally_ crawl into bed.

“That was quick! Should I shower too?”

“I’m not going to stop you.”

He didn’t close the door all the way. Mermista didn’t mean to peek, but the mirror by the bed happened to reflect the a sliver of mirror in the bathroom, and so she saw Sea Hawk not getting ready for his shower but instead suddenly seeming to deflate. He slid out of her view to sit on the floor, and in an instant she was off the bed and there too with her arms wrapped around him.

“Sea Hawk? What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing, it’s-” But his eyes teared up and he couldn’t finish the sentence.

“It’s _not_ nothing. Today was insane.”

“But you’re here with me now and the Horde is defeated.” He mustered up a smile. “Everything is fine.”

“It’s not. It’s not fine.” Odd choice of words to soothe a man, but she rocked back and forth a little with him and stroked his hair and told him all the reasons things were definitely not fine. “I was chipped. I almost _killed_ you. The Rebellion almost lost. Adora tried to sacrifice herself. Entrapta is in love with _Hordak_.” Sea Hawk chuckled weakly at that last one.

They sat there like that for a little while on the bathroom floor, clinging together, when Mermista couldn’t stifle another yawn.

“Do you still want that shower?”

“I’ll make it quick.”

“Okay.” She pecked a quick kiss on his cheek, by now too tired to worry about blushes or even feelings, and closed the door to let him change.

Sea Hawk did in fact make his shower quick, but when he was done Mermista was asleep on top of the covers, her hair wet hair spread out messily on the pillow. He sighed in relief, not just to see her resting but to see _her_. _Thank goodness the distraction worked_.

He hadn’t been sure it would, to be honest. He’d _thought_ it would if anything would, and had summoned up every bit of bluster he had to keep Mermista busy while Perfuma watched for an opening. It helped that he had only needed to speak the truth. It was always easiest for him to speak from the heart.

His heart.

He sat on the bed and brushed aside a damp strand of her hair. Her eyes fluttered open. “Ready for bed?” she asked muzzily.

“I was just deciding whether to join you on top of the covers or avail myself of their warmth instead. It gets cool in Erelandia this time of year.”

“Oh.” She blinked a couple times, realized she’d fallen asleep while waiting for him to finish his shower, and then automatically moved to burrow under the blankets instead.

“Under it is.” He joined her, and Mermista immediately snuggled up next to his side.

“Sea Hawk?”

“Mm?”

“I love you.”

His arms around her tightened. “I know, dearest.” But she was already asleep again.

Mermista woke in a frightened panic. She couldn’t remember the specifics of the nightmare, just the violence. The destruction she’d caused. The friends she’d hurt. And that she’d _enjoyed_ it. No, that was Horde Prime, not her… But it _had_ been her, her body doing those things, feeling those feelings.

“Mermista?”

 _Sea Hawk_. He was right beside her, his long body pressed up against hers.

“I’m sorry.” She sat up, hugging herself. “I’m so sorry.”

He sat up too, wrapping his arms back around her. “It’s okay. It wasn’t you. It’s okay.” No need for him to ask what she was sorry about.

“Stay with me.”

“Of course, dearest. I’m not leaving your side.”

“Not just tonight.”

“As long as you want me, I’ll be here.” This time it was his turn to rock her back and forth in his embrace. She leaned into him, then looked up. Kissed him, on the mouth and lingering this time.

“Thank you.”

They didn’t go much farther than kisses that night. Mermista was still exhausted and the timing really wasn’t right, though Sea Hawk did end up losing his pajama top and her own rode up high as he caressed her back.

 _We have time_. She fell asleep again with that comforting thought.

“It was the sweetest thing.” The inn manager was enjoying her weekly gossip session with the launderer. They’d already exhausted talk of the Horde, She-ra, and the Rebellion and moved on to more domestic matters. “I’ve had people ask me to say I only had one room before, but this is the first time they _both_ asked. She was shy and him so concerned. It’s enough to make you believe in love again.”

“Isn’t this the same man you told me once set fire to a tavern while singing the most dreadful shanty?”

“Yes, but it’s alright. She’s a _princess_. She can afford to build new taverns. And you should have seen the way she was clinging to him. She won’t be letting him go any time soon, I’ll wager.”

“Better him than me. I’m still not comfortable around princesses, no matter what happened with the Horde.”

“As if she would have you, anyway.”

The topic was dropped and the friendly chatter continued. Life in Etheria would go on, one day at a time.

“But dearest, what did I say?”

“ _Not. In. Public.”_

“Dea- Yes! Understood! Not in public!”

“Good.”

“Which means in private…”

“SHUT. UP.”

But she didn’t stop holding his hand, and kept him on her arm all the way to Salineas.

~~~

**Author's Note:**

> I debated whether or not Mermista and Sea Hawk had previously slept together and decided no for this particular story. However, I really like the idea of them being consenting, somewhat-experienced adults in a relationship (as opposed to nervous, virgin teenagers) who didn’t just hold hands on their dates but did standard adult things too.


End file.
